The Catalan outfit were in fine form in the first period as they raced into a three-goal lead through Thiago and a David Villa double.

It was four early in the second period when Alexis Sanchez headed home from close range and he had his second late on to secure a aggregate win of 7-0.

Here, Sports Mole dissects the 90 minutes of action between the two sides.

Match statistics:

Barcelona:Shots: 20On target: 12Possession: 63%Corners: 8Fouls: 12

Cordoba:Shots: 9On target: 2Possession: 37%Corners: 8Fouls: 12

Was the result fair?

There is not a situation where anything other than a comprehensive Barcelona victory would have reflected the match this evening. The home side were sensational in the first period and although their tempo dropped in the second half, they were always comfortable in dealing with the danger. There will certainly be tougher matches ahead for Barcelona.

Barcelona's performance

The Catalan outfit were simply stunning in the opening 30 minutes of football as they raced into a three-goal lead. They didn't have Lionel Messi, Xavi or Andres Iniesta, just the small matter of Spain's record goalscorer Villa. In truth, it could have been 5-0 at the interval. Their tempo dropped in the second period with Cordoba improving, but the damage had already been done.

Cordoba's performance

The Segunda Division outfit simply did not turn up in the opening 30 minutes of the match. They improved in the latter stages of the first half, but still did not offer any impression that they were capable of opening their tally. Their performance continued to improve in the second half, but they never really possessed the confidence to hurt Barcelona.

Sports Mole's man of the match

David Villa: The Spanish striker has been unsettled in recent weeks with limited first-team football, but he responded this evening with two well-taken goals. The opening strike was a particular highlight as he somehow found the back of the net from an impossible angle.

Biggest gaffe

Cordoba were opened up time and time again in the opening period by one straight ball through the middle of their defence. Had they started with a deeper line, then they might have been able to quell some of the early danger.

Referee performance

Alejandro Hernandez had a fairly straightforward 90 minutes of action this evening. There was hardly a challenge of any note as Barcelona utterly dominated possession. Neither side will have had any complaints about his performance.

What next?

Barcelona: The La Liga leaders return to league action this weekend with a difficult trip to Champions League outfit Malaga.

Cordoba: Cordoba will attempt to return to winning ways in the Segunda Division when they travel to face Numancia on Sunday.

Enter your email address to subscribe to Sports Mole's free daily transfer newsletter! Sent twice a day during the transfer window.